§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information the Benefits Agency collects concerning the nature of the disabilities of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit by Benefits Agency district in connection with his review of Government expenditure on benefits.
§ Mr. ScottBenefits Agency district offices obtain information on the disease or disorder giving rise to a claim for invalidity benefit from the medical statement issued by the medical practitioner. This information is not collected centrally. District offices have not been asked to464W provide additional information on the nature of the disabilities of people receiving invalidity benefit in connection with the long-term review of expenditure.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have had their invalidity benefit restored on the basis of hardship in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in the most recent period of time for which records are available.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of invalidity benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member shortly with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
465WLetter from Mr. M. Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 22 July 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many women have had their Invalidity Benefit restored on the basis of hardship in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in the most recent period of time for which records are available.The information has been obtained in the format requested. The statistics relating to the number of women who have had their Invalidity Benefit paid on the basis of hardship following the decision of a Social Security Commissioner on 1 April 1992 in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland are shown below:
Number (a) Strathclyde 1215 (b) Scotland 1228 1 Of these totals, 203 cases are contained within one District (Clyde Valley District) which also received a much higher number of applications. The high incidence of hardship cases within this District is being investigated. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefits Agency district for each year since 1987;
(2) if he will give the current number of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefit Agency district.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of invalidity Benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 22 July 1993:
466WAs Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will give the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefit Agency district for each year since 1987 and the current number of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in that district.The information is not available in the format requested because the Benefits Agency was only set up in April 1991 and it is not possible to provide the information requested prior to this date. Separate statistics were not kept for invalidity benefit claimants until May 1991 and a yearly count of the number of recipients is not maintained. The latest available figures show that there were 12,614 people claiming invalidity benefit in the Agency's Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district at the last working day of June 1993. The figures on the last working day of June 1992 and June 1991 are 11,790 and 10,421 respectively.The statistics provided include a few customers who have claimed but are not receiving invalidity benefit, eg. because there is underlying entitlement which has been extinguished by the payment of a higher overlapping benefit or where termination action has not been completed. These figures were obtained from a 100 per cent. clerical count of cases in the District/Benefit office.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.